“Teas should do more than quench your thirst”, is the bold philosophy of Buddha Teas, aiming that every sip provides you with the very best nature has to offer. Buddha Teas contain fresh organic herbs and tea leaves that bring you healthful properties to enrich your life, as well as making sure the company creates as sustainable an eco-footprint as possible. Buddha Teas has a impressive selection of herbal teas; all single-ingredient brews that have been crafted using the bark, leaves, roots or flowers of certain plants and even fungi (mushrooms) in some cases. These are all organic or wild-harvested from natural sources and are all naturally caffeine-free.
Herbal leaf teas, also known as tisanes, offer unique aromas and flavors, in addition to their own salient characteristics. But do they hit the spot? Read on to find out with our deep-teabag dive review!
Packaging
Buddha Teas come in a sturdy, classy black box. All the tea bags are individually wrapped in black with gold print describing the flavour.
Ingredients
Sage Leaf Tea: 100% organic sage leaves, in bleach- free paper tea bags.
Papaya Leaf Tea: 100% organic papaya leaves, in bleach-free, paper tea bags.
Parsley Leaf Tea:100% organic parsley leaves, in bleach-free, paper tea bags.
Nettle Leaf Tea: 100% organic nettle leaves, in bleach- free, paper tea bags.
Thyme Leaf Tea: 100% organic thyme leaves, in bleach- free paper tea bags.
Spearmint Leaf Tea: 100% organic mint tea leaves, in bleach-free tea bags.
Nutrition
Sage Leaf Tea:
Sage Leaf Tea is a natural source of vitamins, including vitamins A, C, E, and K; as well as minerals, calcium, boron, magnesium, selenium and zinc. Other elements in sage are: antioxidants; saponins, flavonoids, and well-known constituents from other plants, like the betulin found in chaga (mushrooms), and catechins common to green tea. All these ingredients make sage useful for diabetics due to its antioxidant profile, ability to help regulate blood pressure and lower cholesterol. It helps with detoxification, alleviates menopausal issues in women, relieves anxiety, improves digestion, and last but not least, it improves cognitive function. It’s not advised for nursing moms, as it interferes with milk production.
Papaya Leaf Tea:
Papaya is most known for its papain, an enzyme that helps against gastrointestinal (and stress related) diseases like heartburn, GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) and ulcers. Other flavonoids that papaya leaves contain are quercetin, tannins and alkaloids, all very helpful antioxidants. Furthermore papaya leaf tea contains vitamin C, D and niacin, along with minerals calcium, potassium, manganese, iron and magnesium.
Parsley Leaf Tea:
Parsley tea is able to detoxify the body, help the immune and the digestive systems, improve vision, protect against chronic diseases, aid heart health, lower inflammation, freshen your breath, shield against asthma, regulate menstruation and it is said to lower the risk of birth defects and prevent tumor formation. This powerful tea should not be used by everyone, particularly pregnant women, those with pre-existing kidney disorders, or people using blood-thinning medications.
Nettle Leaf Tea:
Nettle tea is high in flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamins (A, B, C, D and K), and minerals, like iodine, iron, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Basically, nettles are so nutrient dense, that you could consider them a superfood. Nettle tea helps reduce stress, relieve pain, inflammation, and lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. It also gives relief from urinary problems, soothes allergies and hives, gout, and improves skin, hair and bone health. Nettle tea is a good detoxifier, helping to reduce hay fever, boost immunity, protect the heart, and optimize digestion.
Thyme Leaf Tea:
The active ingredients in thyme tea have been linked to preventing or lessening many diseases, like vertigo, multiple sclerosis, tinnitus, hepatitis and shingles, and reducing overall oxidative stress in the body. Thyme oil contains antioxidants, such as thymol and luteolin. Thyme tea helps alleviate suffering from respiratory infections, obesity, muscle strain, menstrual cramps, insomnia, dementia, upset stomachs, and constipation, among others. This is due to the high levels of vitamin C, vitamin A, copper, iron, manganese, potassium, phosphorous, carvacrol, pyridoxine, and the earlier mentioned potent antioxidants.
Spearmint Leaf Tea:
Spearmint has been shown to relieve digestive symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and bloating. It is high in antioxidants and helps women with hormone balance. Spearmint has antibacterial properties, decreases anxiety and improves relaxation.
Taste
Sage Leaf Tea:
I am familiar with sage tea, as I make it from leaves in my garden. It took me a while to get used to, as it is an acquired taste due to its bitterness. The Buddha Sage Leaf Tea has a light color and a pleasant milder taste, which makes its benefits more accessible.
Papaya Leaf Tea:
Trying this tea, I had to remind myself I am trying a tea made of the leaves, not the sweet and tropical fruit pulp. The tea has a mild taste, unless you steep it too long then it tends to get a bit bitter.
Parsley Leaf Tea:
A dash of parsley is often used as garnish, or to compliment and enliven a dish. Usually it has a pleasant and distinct fragrance as well as flavour, so, new to the experience, smell and sight as a tea, I expected a stronger overall taste, this tea opts for subtler, savoury notes.
Nettle Leaf Tea:
This is the second time I tried nettles, the first time was in a soup. The nettles give soups a full-of-taste, savoury, almost peppery taste, so I was curious. Buddha Teas have a knack of getting the subtle flavours out of their organic leaves, their Nettle Leaf Tea has a delicate flavour.
Thyme Leaf Tea:
Thyme is a very special herb for me, with a lovely aroma and flavour. It definitely triggers memories of open fires, where we would add thyme to release its wonderfully herby and full-bodied smell. The distinct thyme favour seeps through easier, I noticed than in the previous teas. Again a kind, soft nature to this tea.
Spearmint Leaf Tea:
This Buddha Tea has a subtle, sweet and minty taste. From the 6 that were tasted here, I personally liked this tea the most, having the most flavour.
Serving suggestion:
Buddha Teas advise to use fresh water, preferably filtered, as unfiltered water can easily affect the subtle taste of herbal teas. Measure the temperature of the tea, for herbal teas 205°F is recommended. Depending of the strength you prefer, and steep for 3-6 minutes.
Summary:
These six tea flavours all tend to have in common that they taste less intense than expected. Most might otherwise consider most of these teas as on the bitter side. Buddha Leaves Teas’ subtle aroma make them easy to live with for the majority. So will these teas enlighten you with their touch of zen? Maybe it’s time to invite Buddha for a cuppa!